Graze Set for a New Pasture Under Candy Kittens’ Ownership
Jamie Laing’s vegan sweets brand Candy Kittens is set to acquire healthy snack giant Graze.
The upcoming deal has been struck between German firm Katjes International, Candy Kittens’ parent company, and Unilever, which bought Graze for a reported £100m ($132m) in 2019.
Though the formalities are expected to be finalised in the first half of 2026, Laing and Candy Kittens’ co-founder Ed Williams have already publicly announced the news.
“When we first started out, the thought of a company like Unilever buying our business was the dream,” Laing wrote on Instagram.
“Today, we’re the ones buying a business from them. The tables have turned, and now we have the chance to bring our energy into Graze and keep their challenger spirit alive.”
Talks of a “cut-price” deal have circulated across various news outlets, with £35m the reported undisclosed sum Candy Kittens will pay to absorb Graze.
That would mark a considerable reduction from the fee Unilever paid for the brand just six years ago.
The sale of Graze, which specialises in flavoured nuts, wholefood bars and bites, marks Unilever’s latest effort to offload under-performing assets from its roster.
Unilever said it would be “pruning the portfolio where relevant”, allowing it to “sharpen” its catalogue and focus on condiments and other packaged products.
Graze hit the UK snack market in 2005, initially as an internet-based snack box delivery service. As demand grew, it gradually began to land in major supermarkets and retailers.
However, sales have begun to dwindle in recent years, prompting Unilever to admit its future would be “better realised under new ownership”.
Laing, who shot to fame on structured-reality TV show Made in Chelsea before later starring as a presenter and radio host, says the deal is a “massive moment” for Candy Kittens.
“Graze is one of those brands we looked up to and admired when we set out in this world,” he added.
“We learned from them, and wanted to emulate their success. We never thought we’d be acquiring them. Our values and ambitions are so closely aligned and the brand loyalty they have built is nothing short of amazing.”
According to Reuters, Unilever is also looking to offload classic British brands including Coleman’s, Bovril and Marmite as it shifts focus towards beauty and personal care under the new stewardship of chief executive Fernando Fernandez.
That pivot in stance appears to be supported by the acquisition of brands like Wild, which it snapped up in April. However, Unilever hasn’t offered comment on such speculation.
Earlier this month, it completed the demerger of its ice cream division, known as The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC).
The Vegetarian Butcher was also sold off to Vivera for an undisclosed fee in March.
For Candy Kittens, the acquisition of Graze allows it to bring a fellow B Corp brand into the family — something Laing described as “the cherry on top”.
“Combining our brands strengthens our ability to scale our impact and drive positive change in grocery. Something we care deeply about,” he concluded.
Margins for many healthy snack brands, such as Graze, have dropped or come under pressure in recent years, largely due to rising costs of key ingredients like cocoa, wheat and nuts.
However, Grand View Research still projects the market size to swell to $144.64bn by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% between now and then.
It cites “busy lifestyles, increased urbanisation and changing dietary preferences” as the key drivers of demand for convenient, on-the-go snack options.
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